2011 Wisconsin Rapids Rafters Media Notes Prepared By Rafters Media Department 521 Lincoln St. Wisconsin Rapids, WI Office: 715-424-5400 Cell: 951-440-3302 Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (2-8) vs. Eau Claire Express (6-4) 6:05p.m. June 11, 2011 @ Witter Field, Wisconsin Rapids, WI Game: 11----Home Game: 7----Series Game: 1 Brian Hill LHP (0-0, 5.40, 8Ks) vs. Ryan Longstreth LHP (1-0, 1.17, 2Ks) Rafters Upcoming Future Rafters Probables June 11---6:05---vs Eau Claire Express (6-4) Brad Douthit(0-0, -.--, 0Ks) ) June 12---3:05---vs Eau Claire Express (6-4) Nestor Bautista(10.2ip, 8.44, 1Ks) June 13--6:35---@ Eau Claire Express (6-4) Jacob Doyle (1-1, 14ip, 2.57, 14Ks) Lack of Witter Magic: With their only success in the win column coming on Rafters Glance the road, the 2011 Rafters have yet to thrill their home faithful with a win. The squad came close multiple times over their opening five game homestand, Record: 2-8 Half: 2-8 Month: 2-8 suffering a one run loss and two run loss back to back to open the year. Home: 0-6 Road: 2-2 This Time its for Keeps: These two teams have actually met once already Last 5: 2-3 in the 2011 calendar year. The Rafters took on the 2010 Champion Express in Last 10: 2-8 an exhibition game before the start of the season. Eau Claire beat the Rafters Streak: 2L soundly that day, but this game is the first one to count. Vs EC: 0-0 Home: 0-0 Road: 0-0 Leaving the Loggers: The just completed two game series with the La Crosse Loggers could not have gone worse for the Rafters offense. The line-up Rafters Historical Glance produced just three runs on only seven hits over the two games. During the two games the Rafters notched just 1 RBI as well, scoring twice on plays on the All-Time Record: 22-58 base paths. This all after scoring 26 runs in their prior two games. All-Time Home: 10-31 All-Time Road: 12-27 Bobby’s World: Short-stop Bobby Martin didn’t let his team-mates struggles All-Time Road Site: N/A at the plate Friday night affect him. The Valpo junior knocked a pair of doubles All-Time vs EC: 1-9 at Copeland Park, giving him a team high four two baggers on the season. Martin’s .275 average is now good for second best on the team. Leader Board Brief Hitting Part Time Wrecking Crew: While Martin blasted away with the extra base HR: Kyle Peterson-4 hits, catcher Seth Wheeler provided one RBI and one run Friday night, RBI: Kyle Peterson-8 accounting for all the Rafters offense. Wheeler, behind the plate for just his AVG: Jirschele-.310 (13-42) Hits: Jirschele- 13 fourth game, also cut down a runner at second base to quell a loggers threat. 2B: Martin-4 In part time duty Wheeler is hitting .280, second best on the team. BB: Peterson-7 SO: Peterson-14 Corner of Walnut and Lincoln Pitching Witter Field ERA: Wild-0.00 (6.1ip) SO: Douthit/Doyle-14 Demensions: 320---375---320 IP: Douthit-14 Built: 1928 Refurbished: 1941 Rafters 1st Season: 2010 BB: Hill, Bautista-4 Capacity: 1,619(Seated) 1,900(SRO) W:--Douthit, Bautista-1 2010 Attendance: 46,518 (1,368/G) L: Multiple-1 Retired Number: 24- Moe Hill (WR Twins ‘71-’78) PITCHING NOTES Brian Hill---Eastern Michigan---Jr.---6’4/220---RHP 2011 NWL: 0-1, 8.44, 2g/2s, 10.2ip, 1k, 4bb, 18h, .391OAVG PHOTO Game By Game 6/1 vsMAD- L, 4ip, 4r, 10h, 3bb, 1k 6/6 @WAT- ND, 6.2ip, 7r, 8h, 1bb, 1k Third Time Charm: After getting an opening day start and then also Starter Galnce opening up the Rafters road schedule Hill will try to pick up his first win the -vsLH: .385 (5-13) third time out tonight. Though he did surrender multiple leads last time out, -vsRH: .394 (13-33) one missed location really caused most of the damage on a three run home -Home: 0-1 run. -Road: 0-0 -Streak: 1L How Long 14 Months Can Feel: Until he took the mound on the June Highs/Lows 1st to open the season it had been fourteen months, plus two, of nothing but -IP: 6.2 side sessions and bullpens for the lefty. He sat out this last spring due to -Hits: 10 transfer restrictions and is just glad to be back in competitive games. -Runs:7 -E Runs: 7 -Ks: 1 There’s a Good Sign: Not satisfied with the results of his first two starts, -BB: 3 Brian Hill turned to the video to see if his troubles may have a mechanical root. Hill did find a slight adjustment needed to be made and took that knowledge to his last bullpen session, his best of the season. Pitching coach Express Numbers Chad Lee said the location for Hill was night and day better. Custons .422(19-45), 10rbi Shober .379(11-29), 7bb Kincaid .333(5-15), 3r, 1db Rising from the Desert A Flagstaff, AZ native, Hill began his collegiate Addison .289, 2hr, 3-3sb career at Phoenix College in Central Arizona. Hill picked up four wins, a 2.81 Scheffert .286, 8k, ERA and 45 strike-outs over two seasons and 51 innings at the junior college Ross .190, 8k, 1-2sb level. Forney .258, 2-2sb Opening Day in the Rear View: Hill, and the Rafters as a whole have worked to put the tight loss on opening day to the Mallards out of their mind. The Rafters, 4-2 losers that day, have yet to win a game decided by 2 or fewer runs. They are 0-5 in close games this season. Tomorrows Starter A Pleasant Surprise: He was slated to make a return trip to the Brad Douthit Rafters bull-pen in 2011, but Brad Douthit had other plans. After three LHP 6’3 185 Jr. USC spots opened up in the rotation for the Rafters, Douthit has stepped in to be the most effective starter through the first 10 games. 2011 NWL: 1-1, 2.57, 2g/2s, 14ip, 9h, 4r, 1bb, 14k, .180oavg Striking a Chord: Fans of the 2010 Rafters may remember Douthit Vs LH-- .136 Vs. RH-- .214 pitching to contact to get outs and have success. However, this season Home: 0-1 Road: 1-0 Douthit is averaging 7 strike-outs per start. A change in his delivery is Streak:--1W keeping hitters guessing longer and inducing more swings and misses. PITCHING NOTES(cont.) Rafters Starters: 2-5, 4.65ERA, 56.1IP, 65H, 29ER, 12BB, 38K Rafters Relievers: 0-3, 4.36ERA, 33IP, 42H, 16ER, 9BB, 28K 34...Wild, Kevin...RHP...Valparaiso 44...Danczyk, Tommy...RHP...St. Thomas 0-1, 0.00era, 4g/0s, 6.1ip, 8h, 1bb, 7k 0-1, 4.22era, 4g/1s, 10.2ip, 7r, 13h, 2k, 2bb, -Last Outing: 6/8@WAT: 1ip, 1h, 0bb, 0k -Last Outing: 6/9VsLAC: 2ip, 1r, 1er, 3h, 0bb, 1k Home: 0-0 Away: 0-1 Home: 0-1 Away: 0-0 -Longest Outing: 2 Most Ks: 3 Most BB: 1 -Longest Outing: 5.1ip Most Ks: 1 Most BB: 2 -Specific Notes: Wild will work out of the bullpen most of the time -Specific Notes: Danczyk is on a temporary contract with the for the Rafters, but could make a spot start or two for the Rafters Rafters. The Hayward, WI native will be valuable to bridge the gap during the summer. He is a Brown Deer, WI native. at the start of the season until the full time arms get to town. 30...Debilzen, Skyler...RHP...UW-Lax 29...Stermer, Evan...LHP...U of N. Florida 0-0, 3.52era, 5g/0s, 7.2ip, 8h, 2bb, 8k 0-1, 4.15era, 4g/0s, 8.2ip, 4r, 10h, 4k, 1bb -Last Outing: 6/10@LAC: 1ip, 0h, 0bb, 2k -Last Outing: 6/10@LAC: .2ip, 0r, 0h, 0k, 0bb Home: 0-0 Away: 0-0 Home: 0-1 Away: 0-0 -Longest Outing: 2.2 Most Ks: 3 Most BB: 1 -Longest Outing: 3ip Most Ks: 2 Most BB: 1 -Specific Notes: Debilzen, an Oregon, WI native is on a temporary -Specific Notes: Stermer is a two way player so he will see some contract with the Rafters to start the season and will work mid to time in the line-up, but also provides a quality left-handed option late innings. out of the pen at any point. 23...Mercer, Zach...RHP...UC Santa Barbara 0-1, 3.86era, 2g/0s, 2.1ip, 3r, 2h, 1k, 3bb -Last Outing: 6/10@LAC: L, 1.1ip, 2r, 1er, 2h, 1k,20bb Home: 0-0 Away: 0-1 -Longest Outing: 1.1 Most Ks: 1 Most BB: 2 -Specific Notes: Did not pitch as Fr. Posted a 2.76 ERA with 75 strike-outs over 72 innings his senior year. Over his last two high school seasons Mercer struck out 135 batters in 110 innings. HITTING NOTES Rafters vs RHP: .256, 52/203, 7HR, 12DB, 27BB, 62K, .360OBP Rafters vs LHP: .215, 28/130, 3HR, 5DB, 15BB, 39K, .315OBP 3...Wheeler, Seth...R/R...Butler C.C. 35...Peterson, Kyle...R/R...Eastern MI .286, 4-14, 6g, 2rbi, 5bb, 7k .229, 8-35, 10r, 1db, 4hr, 8rbi, 14k, 7bb Last Game: 6/10@LAC: 1-2, 1rbi, 2bb, 1r Last Game: 6/10@LAC: 0-2, r, 2bb Last 5 Games: .333, 2-6, 1r, 2rbi Last 5 Games: ..250, 4-16, 6r, 2hr, 4rbi Game Highs: H: 1 RBI: 1 R: 1 BB: 2 AB: 4 Game Highs: H: 2 RBI: 3 R: 3 BB: 2 AB: 4 Notes: A temporary contract catcher, Kansas native Wheeler will Notes: A powerful bat to add to the middle of the Rafters line-up, provide depth until the remaining Rafters full time catcher join the Peterson’s ability to play multiple defensive positions will allow club later in the month.